EFCC secures forfeiture of illegally acquired property in Makurdi
Justice Sampson Itodo of a Benue state High Court, Makurdi on Thursday granted an interim forfeiture order of a three-bedroom bungalow and a Honda C50 motorcycle with number plate, GBK 283 US, traced to Emmanuel Agana James, who is being investigated by the EFCC for fraud.
The court interim forfeiture order follows an ex parte application brought by the Markurdi zonal office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against James for an alleged fraud.
The commission’s counsel, G. G. Chia-Yakua, had in the application, dated March 31, prayed the court for an interim order of forfeiting to the federal government of the three-bedroom uncompleted bungalow situated on plot 3090 Genabe Mega Layout Phase (II), Apir, Makurdi.
Also included in the forfeiture order was a Honda motorcycle with registration number GBK 283 US acquired by James.
Moving the application, Chia-Yakua told the court that the property was suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities, derived from funds allegedly diverted by James from the sales of foodstuff of Rikadawa Foods Nigeria Limited.
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He further argued that there was need to preserve the properties in question as “any disposal, conveyance, mortgage, lease, sale or alienation of the said property may render any subsequent final forfeiture order by the court nugatory.”
Granting the interim order, Justice Itodo further directed “the publication of a notice in the national newspaper, inviting all person(s) or corporate entities who may have interest in the said properties to show cause within 14 days from the date of publication why it should not be forfeited to the federal government.”
